The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-11-25
THE MAGUEY PLANT.



and Medicine TO she Mexicnns.
The cactus grows wild In Mexico in
almost endless forms of growth, while
In some localities certain kinds arr
cultivated for the profit to be derived
through their production. The Mag
uey. q plant OF the cactus family. Is
one Of the most valuable OF the pro-
ducts of Mexico. and the uses 10 which
1t is put by these people seem almost
infinite In variety. A fugitive para
graph cut from newspaper furnishes
a partial list: tssThe maguey seems a
special gift Of nature to supply the
simple wants of the native. lis coarse
cloth makes his first. last and only gar
ment. and its strong rope ties down
his coffin lid The fiber OF the leaf,
beaten and spun. forms fine and
beautiful thread. glossy MS silk in text
ure. which resembles linen when
woven into fabrics Ii il manufactured
into y coarse cloth, also into paper.
baeging. slfl-cloth. sacking. etc. The
rope made from ii Is called ma
nilla hemp. and Is Of uncommon
strength and excellence. Cut into
coarse straws. It forms the brooms
and whitewash brushes OF the country.
and, rs a substitute for brfsfles. il Il
made into serub-brooms, dusting-
brushes and the tiny brooms which
take the place of combs among tie
poorer people. Beautiful fancy has
Is. money bags. purses. saehels. and
u thousand toys. trinkets and orna-
ments are woven from its fiber If
your horse has sprain or yourdonkey
u br,sise. magney leaf. FOUNDED and
bound npon the injured member. Is .
certain cure. The pointed thorns.
which terminate the gigantic leavee
are strong rs nails and sharp rs needles.
md to this day. ms in primitive times.
they serve for nails. needles and pins.
Upon paper made of maguey fiber the
sarly- Mexicans painted their pietur
histories and hieroglyphic figures.
Every Mexican estate, I'm certain dis.
fricts. eultivates mere or less maguey.
The mighty plants answer for hedges
and mark the boundaries of ranches
two rows with their enormous leaves
and bayonet-like thorns-making an
impenetrable fence"
In short, the maguey is food. drink.
-loihing. medicine and writing ma
erial for the Mexican. It has well
been called "a miracle OF nature. and
Il is probable that she has never. ii
my other way. so lavishly provided,
IA such convenient form, any thing
from which man can produce 50 nians
things TO sustain life and add to hi.
comfort and convenience at home.
One species Of the maguey plant
furnishes drink known as .'pulque.
which. before fermentation takes place
is not Intoxicating and mot unpleasant
in taste Itspresents a milky appear.
anee, and is slightly tart and pungent.
Fermentation occurs in a few days
| .fter production. and pulque then. liks
hard cider" will produce intoxica
fion If taken in sufficient quantity
In some localities this drink is quite Al
extensively used in this country as i,
the malt-beer now so largely consumed
throughout the United States. In th,
City of Mexico. where the water is o
poor quality. pulqae is almost uniyer
sally used, many persons discardins
entirely the water furnished by the
city. and using the unfermented pulqu'
solely as beverage
One of the richest citizens of thl
Mexican capital realized his immens,
fortune from the sale of pulque. being
the proprietorof several retail shops II
various quarters OF the city. His In
come is estimated at over $50. 600 pc
annum. When it is known that on Al
estate of one thousand acres Of tn
cheapest quality of land millioi
plants may be constantly hourishing Il
their several stages of growth. ant
that during the entire time there vii
%be a sufficient number of matured ma
| gueys to furnish about four thonsan,
gallons of pulque daily. it will be quit
apparent that there Is good margin
for profit in the production Of this bey
erage, which Is worth about eigh
cents gallon as it flows frofw tn
plant
Ii is said that over forty thousan'
gallons of pulque are sold and drum
in tile City of Mexico daily. From th
duty charged for the privilege 9
bringing this liquor within the COZ
porate limits. the municipal treasur
derives an income amounting to $l,O0
n day Cor. Indianapolis journal.